In order to manufacture sandals able to maintain up-to-date fashionable features necessary to satisfy an ever-changing customer demand, manufacturers have to supply a significantly high number of sandals (or flip flops) with different styles at all times. For most of these sandal configurations, the sole platform remains the same while the top part (e.g., strap assembly) is changed in terms of colors, styles, and/or manufacturing materials. The cost and environmental impact of this approach is significant as customer demand, often driven by seasonal style changes, is often unpredictable. From a customer standpoint, matching colors, styles, and/or manufacturing materials with other wearable items (e.g., purses, dresses, hair accessories, etc.) often implies the possession of multiple sandals, each with different features. Furthermore, most often, highly fashionable and expensive sandals may not be used in harsher environments including, for example, in the presence of sand and/or water.
Therefore, it will be appreciated that it would be beneficial to provide a single sandal sole platform that could easily be connected to a variety of the most current fashion driven style strap assemblies. With this design arrangement, the user could carry various strap assemblies in her/his purse or pack, for example, making a transformation of the sandal convenient, quick, and easy whenever such a desired change were deemed proper or necessary, in various kinds of environments and/or events. For example, while the sole platform remains the same, a particular top sandal portion, or strap assembly, with desired colors (e.g., matching a bathing suit), styles, and/or manufacturing materials may be suited for a walk on the beach, whereas a short period later, another strap assembly with different colors, styles, and/or manufacturing materials may be easily substituted for a trip back to the office or to another more formal atmosphere.
Current interchangeable sandal designs attempt to address the consumer desire for style changes to the sandal, but are complex, not aesthetically pleasing, not functionally sound, and do not address the issue of the interlocking mechanisms being susceptible to water, sand, and/or other debris.
Current interchangeable sandal designs incorporate complex mechanisms such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,090, and are difficult to manufacture and even more difficult to keep free of sand and/or debris, and are not water tight. They employ latches that are susceptible to corrosion from water and deterioration from sand and/or other debris that may enter into the latching assembly itself, thus compromising the assembly's integrity and making the sandal inherently unsafe for the user, for example, by increasing the possibility of an unwanted strap release. Still others designs, including those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,172,330, show a “flip flop” sandal design where the upper straps are detachable from the sole but incorporate small separated attachment pieces that do not provide reliable attachments and make the straps difficult to change. The techniques described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,028,420 incorporate a single strap feed-through, and the sole and are joined at a point above the user's foot at the highest stress point of the sandal assembly. This design unfortunately only provides a single linear style broad strap, which does not address current market trends and is also susceptible to sand and/or debris entering into the sole's receiving slot.
Thus, it will be appreciated that there exists a need in the art to overcome one or more of these and/or other disadvantages, and/or to provide a single sandal sole platform that can easily be connected to a variety of the most current fashion driven style strap assemblies.
One aspect of certain example embodiments of this invention relates to providing a more efficient, “always-in-style” evolutionary and interchangeable sandal configuration that allows the user to utilize one single sole platform and as many customized strap assemblies as desired, at a lower cost and with ease of use.
Another aspect of certain example embodiments relates to utilizing the combination of at least two main sandal portions, including a platform sole base and a strap assembly easily connected to said platform sole base.
Still another aspect of certain example embodiments relates to a complete sandal configuration that can be worn in substantially all environmental conditions, as it includes substantially water-tight fasteners. In certain example embodiments, the sandal may include a strap assembly equipped with special substantially water-sand-dust-proof fasteners that connect the strap assembly to the sandal sole base, interchangeable tread, and/or an adjustable strap assembly size so that the sandal fits feet having the same shoe size but differing shoe widths.
In certain example embodiments, the sandal may be configured such that the strap assembly itself is substantially water-proof, while the tread is made of an anti-slip material, for example, those utilized in applications on boats or in harsh environments. Additionally, in certain example embodiments, a sole height enhancer assembly may be added to increase the overall thickness of the sole itself.
According to certain example embodiments, a sandal is provided. A platform sole base includes at least one positioning port formed therein. At least one first fastener assembly is provided. Each said first fastener assembly comprises a first locking structure (e.g., which may be substantially cylindrical), a dampening system (e.g., which may be substantially cylindrical) insertable into the first locking structure, and at least two locking arms that extend inwardly into the first locking structure from the inner walls thereof. A strap assembly includes a strap and at least one second fastener assembly. Each said second fastener assembly comprises a second locking structure (e.g., which may be substantially cylindrical) insertable into the first locking structure, at least two locking pins extending outwardly from the bottom of the second locking structure for rotatably engaging/disengaging with the at least two locking arms, and at least one strap receiving port for receiving the strap. A strap locking system cooperates with the at least one strap receiving port to secure the strap to the platform sole base. Each said first fastener assembly is respectively associated with one said positioning port. Each said first fastener assembly is respectively associated with one said second fastener assembly. The first and second fastener assemblies are suitable to removably connect the strap assembly to the platform sole base.
Optionally, the sandal may further comprise at least one wing fastener provided to the first fastener assembly proximate to the locking arms thereof and at least one receiving channel extending outwardly from the second locking structure proximate to the locking pins for rotatably engaging/disengaging with the at least one wing fastener.
According to certain other example embodiments, a sandal is provided. A platform sole base includes at least one positioning port formed therein. At least one first fastener assembly is provided. Each said first fastener assembly comprises a first locking structure (e.g., which may be substantially cylindrical), a dampening system (e.g., which may be substantially cylindrical) insertable into the first locking structure, and a substantially spiral-shaped channel formed on the first locking structure's inner surface. A strap assembly includes a strap and at least one second fastener assembly. Each said second fastener assembly comprises a second locking structure (e.g., which may be substantially cylindrical) insertable into the first locking structure, a substantially spiral-shaped groove for insertion into the channel of the at least one first locking structure, and at least one strap receiving port for receiving the strap. A strap locking system cooperates with the at least one strap receiving port to secure the strap to the platform sole base. Each said first fastener assembly is respectively associated with one said positioning port. Each said first fastener assembly is respectively associated with one said second fastener assembly. The first and second fastener assemblies are suitable to removably connect the strap assembly to the platform sole base.
According to certain other example embodiments, a sandal is provided. A platform sole base includes at least one positioning port formed therein. A strap is provided. Fastener assembly means removably connect the strap to the platform sole base at the at least one positioning port. Strap locking means secure the strap to the fastener assembly means.
In certain example embodiments, a method of making a sandal is provided. A platform sole base is provided. At least one positioning port is formed in the platform sole base. At least one first fastener assembly is provided, with each said first fastener assembly comprising a first locking structure, a dampening system insertable into the first locking structure, and at least one channel formed on the first locking structure's inner surface. There is provided a strap assembly including a strap and at least one second fastener assembly, each said second fastener assembly comprising a second locking structure insertable into the first locking structure, at least one protrusion for insertion into the at least one channel of the at least one first locking structure, and at least one strap receiving port for receiving the strap. A strap locking system is provided to cooperate with the at least one strap receiving port to secure the strap to the platform sole base. Each said first fastener is respectively associated with one said positioning port. Each said first fastener assembly is respective associated with one said second fastener assembly. The strap assembly is removably connected to the platform sole base via the first and second fastener assemblies.
These aspects and embodiments may be used separately or applied in various combinations in different embodiments of this invention.